Rent
by obsessive-elphaba
Summary: How do you document real life, when real life's getting more like fiction each day? Strong T ABANDONED
1. Prologue

Rent

~a Naruto fanfiction by obsessive-elphaba

_Somewhere along my vast love for Naruto and the musical RENT, this came to me. I am not using any but one song from the musical, and you'll know it when you see it. I recommend listening to the song and thinking of the story behind it to give much more depth (when it gets to that scene.) I am going to have great difficulties doing La Vie Boheme. Such a revealing, necessary song for the show. Anyway, the main pairing is ShikaIno, with implied ShikaTema. Other pairings include SakuHina and NaruSasu. Warning: Character death! Rating: strong T. Brief strong language, STDs, drugs, all the good stuff. Set in 1989 in the beginning (Christmas Eve - not the prologue, which is set a year before that), and you should be able to follow the timeline from there. Review if you please. Even if you don't please, criticism is wholeheartedly accepted. **I disclaim Naruto and RENT**_

___The cast:  
Roger~Shikamaru  
Mimi~Ino  
Mark~Kiba  
Maureen~Sakura  
Joanne~Hinata  
Angel~Naruto  
Collins~Sasuke  
Benny~Sai_

Let it be known that Kiba Inuzuka was not one to miss an event. In fact, he was usually always there somewhere in the background capturing the entire moment. Sometimes Kiba was torn away from his camera when his flirtatious girlfriend, Sakura, wanted to tease him, and he was quite a sap for her. Often times his roommate, Shikamaru, would tease him over this infatuation that he called "love."

Shikamaru was a completely different story. He had a beautiful (not to mention loyal) girlfriend. Kiba didn't tease him, but he knew Shikamaru felt passionately over Temari. Though while Kiba was caught up with his camera, Shikamaru stayed out all the time with Temari - wrapped up in drugs, smack to be specific. He advertised to perform solo concerts, which wasn't becoming a very successful career.

The boys had another roommate, Sai, who was growing more distant each day. Sai spent his time out doing business deals, sucking up to the landlord, and ultimately marrying his daughter. Though Sai was still friends with Shikamaru and Kiba and knew they were having trouble financially. He let them slide by without paying rent...

---

_Any good? It's pretty short, yes, but I have been itching for an idea that wasn't Wicked related (my obsession is really becoming unhealthy) and this was the farthest from it I had - obviously not that far away. Enjoy my many quirks and this story.  
~obsessive-elphaba _


	2. Christmas Eve

_A second chapter just to see if this is worth doing. I will update I Absolutely Positively DON'T Love You soon, bare with me. This has just been running through my head lately._

"December 24th, 1989." Kiba announced, filming the many holiday decorations on the street from the view of his bike. "Let's see if anything comes a bit, instead of my old shit..." Flyers covered the walls of the apartments, all saying the same thing: Eviction Notice - Padlock threat. Sighing, Kiba grabbed a paper and pedaled to his building. Unlocking the door, he could hear his roommate getting frustrated with his old Fender guitar.

"Why won't you tune!" Shikamaru groaned in frustration as he tried to write his song.

"Hey." Kiba called, his friend looking up. "Did you see Sai's eviction notice?"

"How could I miss it?" Shikamaru chuckled dryly.

"This is exactly what Sakura's protest is about. Sai has no right to just... what?" Kiba looked at his friend, who was laughing quietly.

"Dude, you still love her." That was the funniest thing in the world, and Kiba knew better than to press the matter any more.

"SPEAK." The familiar tone of the voicemail sounded.

"Hey, deadbeats, better pick up. I know you're in there." The voice was calm and almost sarcastic.

"Fuck." Shikamaru sighed before taking his guitar out into the cold.

"What do you want, Sai?" Kiba said firmly, picking up the phone.

"Have you not seen the flyers? I'm taking in rent." It was obvious Sai was smiling.

"What? You said we were golden." Kiba accused.

"It's a new time, Kiba."

"You used to live here." The brunette said.

"How could I forget? You, me, Shika, Sasuke, and Sakura. How is the drama queen anyway?" Sai's voice had that wicked humor evident.

"She's performing tonight."

"You still her production manager?"

"Last month I got dumped." Kiba admitted, stuttering.

"Oh?" A trickle of amusement went through the phone line. "She found another man?"

Kiba debated how to respond to this one. "Well... not exactly."

"What's his name?"

Sighing, Kiba said, "Hinata."

Cold worthless chuckles escaped the receiver. "Woo... Rent, my amigos, is due."

And the line went dead. "Well, you're screwed because we're broke." The brunette muttered.

---

Shikamaru strove to tune that final string on his guitar. "Gotta write... one song." He whispered to himself determinedly. In the memory of Temari. That memory that wouldn't fade. The day she left him forever.

_Shikamaru ran. He ran as fast as he could. Temari had called saying she needed to talk to him. It was an emergency. He didn't bother knocking and threw open the door. There, on the floor, her body lay. A knife in one hand, her arm bloody. She slit her wrists, leaving him only a note to tell him why she left him. On the note it read, "We've got AIDS."_

So Shikamaru had to be strong. He had to keep going. He had to write that one song, if it was the last thing he did. Sighing, he looked down at the streets, only to lock eyes with a petite blond. She had eyes of sky blue and a small smile on her face. Noticing him observe her, she gave a suggestive wink and a seductive smile. Shikamaru nodded dismissively and walked back inside.

"SPEAK." The phone beeped.

"Guess who?" A deep voice sang out.

"Hey!" Kiba picked up the phone. "Sasuke!"

"Throw down the key." Sasuke said, just as Kiba stuck his head out the window. Catching the key, Sasuke heard muffled voices in the background.

"Hurry up." Kiba called before the phone line rang with dial tone.

Sasuke hung up and tried to run down the street, only to be stopped by a gang in the alley. Gulping and walking backwards into the alley, Sasuke mumbled to the men, "I-I-I d-don't have any money..."

"We don't want your money." They said and cornered him.


End file.
